On a cold winter evenin, on a plane bound for nowhere,
I met up with the pit bull; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin out the window at the darkness
til boredom overtook us, and she began to speak.

She said, "Yah, Ive made a life out of readin peoples faces,
And knowin what they wanted by the way they held their eyes.
So if you dont mind my sayin, Ya gotta know who your base is.
For a taste of your Pepsi Ill give you some advice.

So I handed her my soda and she drank down my last swallow.
Then she looked out the window, at the bright midnight.
She saw her kids were asleep, and her face lost all expression.
She said, when folks don't know nuthin, its best to go far right.

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count donations when youre sittin at the table.
Therell be time enough for countin when elections done.

Now evry govner knows, that the secret to survivin
Is knowin what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
cause big oil is a winner and tree huggers are losers,
And the best that you can hope for is to put the truth to sleep.

So when she finished speakin, she turned back towards the window,
She typed one last twitter and faded off to sleep.
Now somewhere in the darkness the pit bull, she broke even.
But in her final words there was advice that I could keep.

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
If you can't be a winner you can always be a quitter.
Therell be time enough for winnin when the talk show's done.

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table.
Therell be time enough for countin when the talk show's done.